Artist of the Month - @pixebo

When you hear "pixel art," your mind might wander to retro video games—blocky characters, 8-bit worlds, a nostalgic blur of neon and chiptune soundtracks. And while this is true for Rebecca, it doesn’t cover the whole story. To her, pixel art is more than a throwback. It’s her discipline, passion, and livelihood. 

“Pixel art challenges me to clearly convey details in minimal space, which is my favorite part. It almost feels like solving a puzzle!”, Rebecca tells me over a video call, surrounded by earlier pixel art projects hanging on the wall behind her. “I enjoy creating clean, crisp lines and textures with limited color palettes, one pixel at a time.”

At its core, pixel art is a form of digital art where images are created and edited at the pixel level—the smallest unit of a digital image. Think of it like digital pointillism: each “dot” (or pixel) is deliberately placed, and the limitations—low resolution, a limited color palette—are part of the style’s identity.

Unlike high-resolution digital painting or 3D modeling, pixel art demands precision and a minimalist mind. Every pixel counts. Shading, perspective, texture—all must be conveyed with as little as 16x16 or 32x32 pixels. Yet within these limits lies infinite creativity.

StickerApp: Hi Rebecca! We're THRILLED to have you as our April Artist of the Month! Do tell: who are you, and what do you do?

Pixebo: Thank you for having me! I'm Rebecca, an illustrator, UX designer, and Pixel Art lover royale. I've been drawing ever since I was very young. I studied illustration and graphic design in college, then worked as a UX designer for nine years. There was a long stretch where I didn't draw much at all, but eventually, I reconnected with my love of art through pixel art, and the rest is history!

StickerApp: Indeed! Who or what are your biggest inspirations?

Pixebo: Definitely the games I played as a kid. I adore games from the early 2000s that have a retro, nostalgic vibe. I'm constantly inspired by everyday things around me, like my home and neighborhood, as well as the community we've built online.

StickerApp: Do you have a tip for those starting their creative journey?

Pixebo: I used to think it was cheesy when artists said, "Don't draw what you think will be popular; draw what you love." But of course, it's true! It wasn't until I stopped worrying about likes and started creating art purely for myself that my work began gaining traction. When I started experimenting with my current style in 2021, I didn't even share it publicly for a long time. Authenticity was key for me.

StickerApp: Why do you use StickerApp?

Pixebo: StickerApp has fantastic sticker quality, and their range of materials is incredible. Their online editor is super intuitive and easy to use, and they're always willing to collaborate closely on complex sticker sheet designs, helping me navigate tricky technical details like bleeds and margins. Plus, the supportive and inspiring community they've built around artists is a huge bonus!

StickerApp: What’s your favorite material, and why?

Pixebo: My favorite material is digital! I've worked digitally since my family got a Windows 95 PC when I was a kid. Pixel art, in particular, was originally made for games, so it naturally encourages interaction and playfulness. I love making art that invites people to engage in a fun, accessible way. That said, I love the clear material because it allows me to create isometric 3D rooms, just like the Thank You card.

StickerApp: Tell us more about your indie mobile game Pixome, what's it about?

Pixebo: Pixome is an isometric pixel-art mobile game where players collect, arrange, and style pixel-art furniture and décor to create cozy, aesthetic spaces. It's our love letter to interior design, retro gaming nostalgia, and the joy of building personalized digital havens. We're an artist-owned studio dedicated to making beautiful, fun, and inspiring games for mobile devices. Pixome is a project born entirely from passion, and we can't wait to share it with the world!

Fun fact: I initially started making stickers as prototypes for Pixome. Now that we're actively developing the game, we sell stickers on our website to help cover development costs. I also used StickerApp to create freebie sticker sheets to hand out at the recent GDC (Game Developers Conference)—those were a huge hit and really helped us connect with fans and industry folks!

StickerApp: Do you have a release date yet?

Pixebo: Not at the moment, but you can be sure we'll announce it when we know! And for those asking: We are planning to launch on both iOS and Android.

To keep up with Rebecca and the development of Pixome, visit Pixebo's website pixelplacebo.com/pixome or head over to her Instagram: @pixebo.